Landscaping system

Abstract

A modular landscaping system variable in size and configuration usable when making shrubbery and flower beds for masking ground surface surrounding bed plants, for permitting watering of the plants from a single location, and for enhancing the aesthetic characteristics of ground surfaces in the beds. The system comprises a plurality of interlocking plastic plates, each having one or more plant holes through which plants may extend. Each plant hole is surrounded by a flared collar which collars a plant's stalk several inches above ground level. The collar is designed to be adjustable in size for use with differently sized plants. Each plate has a raised rim along the portions of its periphery which are not interlockable with other plates. In the assembled system, the rims of the plates collectively form a liquid retaining barrier which, in combination with the number of small seepage holes passing through each plate near the plant holes, allows the plants within the system to be watered from one location. The system includes end plates which may interlock with each other or with intermediate plates to allow widely varying sizes and configurations for the overall system. The plates are decorativley shaped to enhance the aesthetic aspects of the area in which they are used.

I claim: 
     
       1. A modular landscaping system for masking ground surface adjacent to plants to prevent unwanted grass and weed growth, for permitting watering of said plants from a single location within said system, and for containing decorative ground covering materials within a precisely delineated boundary defined by said system thereby enhancing the aesthetic characteristics of the area near said plants comprising: a first plate of unitary construction having a planar first floor section with a substantially round first plant hole in the approximate center thereof, a first retaining wall and a first interlocking ridge, each rising substantially perpendicular from said first floor section and collectively circumventing said first floor section at its periphery, a generally conical first collar surrounding said first plant hole and rising from said first floor section with its smallest circumference farthermost from said first floor section, said first floor section further having a plurality of first watering holes formed therethrough for permitting liquid placed in a first volume defined by said first floor, said first retaining wall, and said first interlocking ridge to pass from said first volume to a first area underlying said first plate;   a second plate of unitary construction having a planar second floor section with a substantially round second plant hole in the approximate center thereof, a second retaining wall and a second interlocking ridge, each rising substantially perpendicular from said second floor section and collectively circumventing said second floor section at its periphery, a generally conical second collar surrounding said second plant hole and rising from said second floor section with its smallest circumference farthermost from said second floor section, said second floor section further having a plurality of second watering holes formed therethrough for permitting liquid placed in a second volume defined by said second floor, said second retaining wall, and said second interlocking ridge to pass from said second volume from said second volume to a second area underlying said second plate;   said first and second interlocking ridges capable of coupling said first and second plates through a mating arrangement, said first and second interlocking ridges each respectively having a first and second spillway formed therethrough to permit a liquid placed in said first volume to pass to said second volume and vice versa without requiring said plates to be filled with said liquid sufficiently to overflow said first and second retaining walls;   said first and second retaining walls and said first and second collars rising respectively from said first and second floor sections in like directions relative to said first and second floor sections with said first and second retaining walls and said first and second interlocking ridges peripheral to said spillways rising approximately three inches above said first and second floor sections;   said first interlocking ridge having affixed thereto means for sealing said first interlocking ridge with said second interlocking ridge whereby said first and second plates may be securely affixed to each other and whereby an effluence of said liquid over said first and second spillways from said first plate passes substantially only into said second plate and vice versa;   said first collar and second collars each terminating at their said smallest circumferences approximately twelve inches from their respective said floor sections and each having a plurality of collar tear lines permitting portions of said collars successively closer to said floors to be removed by tearing the material forming said collars along said collar tear lines thereby enlarging said plant holes to accommodate larger plants, said collar tear lines closest to respective said floor sections of said first and second plates each being no less than approximately three inches from said floor;   said first and second watering holes being no more than approximately 0.050 inches in diameter.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second interlocking ridges and said first and second retaining walls are double-layered portions of said material forming said first and second plates, said interlocking ridges and retaining walls being formed whereby an inner layer of said interlocking ridges and retaining walls are continuations of said first and second floor sections respectively and are directed substantially perpendicular to said first and second floor sections, said interlocking ridges and retaining walls each having an upper terminus from which an outer layer extends downward and parallel with said inner layers, said outer layers of said first and second retaining walls terminating in anchoring lips disposed parallel with said floor sections and extending away from the center of said plates, said form of said interlocking ridges for permitting a mating arrangement therebetween when a portion of said outer layer of said first plate at either end of said first interlocking ridge is removed to permit said first outer layer to overlap said second interlocking ridge nesting said second interlocking ridge in the underside of said first interlocking ridge coupling said first and second plates, said anchoring lips for providing portions of said plates through which spikes may be driven to anchor said plates to a ground surface. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2 wherein two corner panel tear lines are formed in said outer layer of said first interlocking ridge at either end of said first interlocking ridge for permitting said portions of said first outer layer to be removed, in turn, to permit said mating of said first and said second interlocking ridges. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 3 wherein an access path tear line is formed in said first and second floor sections of said first and second plates extending continuously from a point on said first and a second anchor lips respectively to a point at the uppermost edge of said first and second collars respectively, said access path tear lines for permitting said material forming said plates to be torn along a predetermined path from the periphery of each said plate to said uppermost edge of said collars forming an access path whereby said plates may be placed around a large existing plants, said invention further comprising first and second means for splicing said access path for said first and second plates respectively whereby a substantially water tight seal is formed and said plates may retain water as before tearing said access path tear lines. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said first and second splicing means are double layered splicer strips each having two upper arms and two lower arms generally parallel with said upper arms and separated from said upper arms by a bridge situated longitudinally along the length of said splicer strips, said bridge being of a height whereby said upper and lowers arms are separated from each other by a distance approximately equalling the thickness of said material which forms said plates adjacent to said tear line, first and second splicer channels being defined by said upper and lower arms in which splicer channels edges of said plates adjoining said access path are placed, said splicer channels having adhesive means therein for adhering said upper and lowers arms to said material of said plates to form a substantially water-tight seal at said access paths. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a third plate of unitary construction having a planar third floor section collectively bounded by a third retaining wall, a primary and a secondary third interlocking ridge, said third retaining wall, secondary and primary interlocking ridges each rising substantially perpendicular from said third floor section, said third floor section having a substantially round third plant hole formed in the approximate center thereof, said third plant hole being surrounded by a conical third collar rising from said third floor section with its smallest circumference farthermost from said third floor section, said third floor section further having a plurality of third watering holes formed therethrough for permitting liquid placed in a third volume defined by said third floor, said third retaining wall, and said third interlocking ridge to pass from said third volume to a third area underlying said third plate;   said primary and secondary third interlocking ridges being capable of respectively coupling said third plate with said first and second plates through mating arrangements, said primary and secondary third interlocking ridges each having a spillway formed therethrough to permit, when said first, second, and third plates are coupled, a liquid placed in the volume defined by said third plate's said floor section, retaining wall, and interlocking ridge to flow among said first, second, and third plates over said interlocking ridges without necessitating filling said third volume with said liquid sufficiently to overflow their said third retaining walls;   said third retaining wall and said third collar rising from said third floor section in a like direction relative to said third floor section, said third retaining wall and said third interlocking ridge peripheral to said spillway rising approximately three inches above said third floor section;   said secondary third interlocking ridge having affixed thereto means for sealing said secondary third interlocking ridge with said second interlocking ridge whereby said second and third plates may be securely affixed to each other and whereby an effluence of said liquid over said spillways between said second and third plates passes substantially only from said second plate into said third plate and vice versa;   said third collar terminating at its smallest circumference approximately twelve inches from said third floor section and having a plurality of collar tear lines permitting portions of said third collar successively closer to said third floor section to be removed by tearing said collar along said collar tear lines thereby enlarging said third plant hole to accommodate larger plants, said collar tear line closest to said third floor section of said third plate being no less than approximately three inches from said third floor section;   said third watering holes being no more than approximately 0.050 inches in diameter.   
     
     
       7. The invention of claims 1 wherein said first and second plates are made of a vinyl material. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said sealing means comprises an adhesive strip affixed to the apex of said first interlocking ridge and having an adhesive surface oriented away from said apex. 
     
     
       9. A modular landscaping system for masking ground surface adjacent to plants to prevent unwanted grass and weed growth, for permitting watering of said plants from a single location within said system, and for containing decorative ground covering materials within a precisely delineated boundary defined by said system thereby enhancing the aesthetic characteristics of the area near said plants comprising a plurality of plates each having a plant hole formed therethrough, said plant hole being surrounded by a generally conical collar rising above a planar floor of each said plate, said plates each having interlocking means located at a first portion of said plate's periphery and designed for permitting a sealed, substantially water tight joinder with other said plates, each said plate further having a retaining wall rising from said floor and encompassing all remaining portions of said periphery whereby said interlocking ridge along with said retaining wall defines a vessel capable of containing liquid or solid materials therein, each said interlocking ridge having a spillway formed therein whereby liquid placed in a first said plate may flow into a second said plate when said first and second plates are coupled by their interlocking means without the necessity of filling either of said plates to the point of overflowing said retaining wall thereby transforming a plurality of joined said plate into a collective vessel, said collar of each said plate having a plurality of collar tear lines formed in the material forming said collar for permitting portions said collar to be removed thereby enlarging said plant hole to accept a larger plant, said floor section of each said plate having a plurality of small watering holes to permit liquid placed in said plate to flow slowly out of said plate onto a ground surface underlying said plate. 
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 10 wherein said collar of each said plate rises between approximately twelve and approximately twenty inches above said floor section, said retaining wall and said interlocking ridge adjacent to said spillway rise between approximately three and approximately six inches above said floor section, and wherein said collar tear line closest to said floor section is distanced from said floor section no less than the height of said retaining wall relative to said floor section. 
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said plates are made from a vinyl material approximately 0.030 inches in thickness. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said plant hole is approximately twelve inches in diameter at the level of said collar tear line closest to said floor section and approximately four inches at the uppermost edge of said collar. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claim 12 wherein each said plate has no more than twelve said watering holes. 
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 9 wherein said interlocking means is a double side wall formed to permit an outer layer of a first said wall of a first said plate to overlap the entirety of a second said wall of a second said plate to permit said first and second plates to be coupled by nesting said first and second walls together. 
     
     
       15. The invention of claim 14 further comprising adhesive means attachable to the apex of said double sided walls to adhesively join said apex of said first said plate's interlocking means with said second plate's interlocking means. 
     
     
       16. The invention of claim 15 wherein said adhesive means is a double-sided, foam based tape attachable on one side of said tape to said apex of said first double-sided wall and attachable to an under side of said second double sided wall. 
     
     
       17. The invention of claim 9 wherein an access path tear line is formed in said material forming said plate, said access path tear line originating at a peripheral location of said plate and terminating at the uppermost edge of said collar, said access path tear line for permitting an access path to be torn in said plate whereby a stalk of a large plant which cannot pass through said plant hole may be situated through said plant hole by passing said stalk through said access path to said plant hole and further comprising splicing means to seal said access path against leakage once said access path has been formed by tearing said plate at said access path tear line. 
     
     
       18. The invention of claim 17 wherein said splicing means is a double layered splicer strip having two upper arms and two lower arms generally parallel with said upper arms and separated from said upper arms by a bridge situated longitudinally along the length of said splicer strip, said bridge being of a height whereby said upper and lowers arms are separated from each other by a distance approximately equalling the thickness of said vinyl which forms said plates adjacent to said tear line, first and second splicer channels being defined by said upper and lower arms in which splicer channels edges of said plates adjoining said access path are placed, said splicer channels having adhesive means therein for adhering said upper and lowers arms to said vinyl of said plates to form a substantially water-tight seal at said access path. 
     
     
       19. A modular landscaping system for masking ground surface adjacent to plants to prevent unwanted grass and weed growth, for permitting watering of said plants from a single location within said system, and for containing decorative ground covering materials within a precisely delineated boundary defined by said system thereby enhancing the aesthetic characteristics of the area near said plants comprising: a first plate of unitary construction having a planar first floor section with a substantially round first plant hole in the approximate center thereof, a first retaining wall and a first interlocking ridge, each rising substantially perpendicular from said first floor section and collectively circumventing said first floor section at its periphery, a generally conical first collar surrounding said first plant hole and rising from said first floor section with its smallest circumference farthermost from said first floor section, said first floor section further having a plurality of first watering holes formed therethrough for permitting liquid placed in a first volume defined by said first floor, said first retaining wall, and said first interlocking ridge to pass from said first volume to a first area underlying said first plate;   a second plate of unitary construction having a planar second floor section with a substantially round second plant hole in the approximate center thereof, a second retaining wall and a second interlocking ridge, each rising substantially perpendicular from said second floor section and collectively circumventing said second floor section at its periphery, a generally conical second collar surrounding said second plant hole and rising from said second floor section with its smallest circumference farthermost from said second floor section, said second floor section further having a plurality of second watering holes formed therethrough for permitting liquid placed in a second volume defined by said second floor, said second retaining wall, and said second interlocking ridge to pass from said second volume from said second volume to a second area underlying said second plate;   said first and second interlocking ridges capable of coupling said first and second plates through a mating arrangement, said first and second interlocking ridges each respectively having a first and second spillway formed therethrough to permit a liquid placed in said first volume to pass to said second volume and vice versa without requiring said plates to be filled with said liquid sufficiently to overflow said first and second retaining walls;   said first and second retaining walls and said first and second collars rising respectively from said first and second floor sections in like directions relative to said first and second floor sections with said first and second retaining walls and said first and second interlocking ridges peripheral to said spillways rising approximately three inches above said first and second floor sections;   said first interlocking ridge having affixed thereto means for sealing said first interlocking ridge with said second interlocking ridge whereby said first and second plates may be securely affixed to each other and whereby an effluence of said liquid over said first and second spillways from said first plate passes substantially only into said second plate and vice versa;   said first collar and second collars each terminating at their said smallest circumferences approximately twelve inches from their respective said floor sections and each having a plurality of collar tear lines permitting portions of said collars successively closer to said floors to be removed by tearing the material forming said plates along said collars along said collar tear lines thereby enlarging said plant holes to accommodate larger plants, said collar tear lines closest to respective said floor sections of said first and second plates each being no less than approximately three inches from said floor;   said first and second watering holes being no more than approximately 0.050 inches in diameter.   said first and second interlocking ridges and said first and second retaining walls are double-layered portions of said material forming said first and second plates, said interlocking ridges and retaining walls being formed whereby an inner layer of said interlocking ridges and retaining walls are continuations of said first and second floor sections respectively and are directed substantially perpendicular to said first and second floor sections, said interlocking ridges and retaining walls each having an upper terminus from which an outer layer extends downward and parallel with said inner layers, said outer layers of said first and second retaining walls terminating in anchoring lips disposed parallel with said floor sections and extending away from the center of said plates, said form of said interlocking ridges for permitting a mating arrangement therebetween when a portion of said outer layer of said first plate at either end of said first interlocking ridge is removed to permit said first outer layer to overlap said second interlocking ridge nesting said second interlocking ridge in the underside of said first interlocking ridge coupling said first and second plates, said anchoring lips for providing portions of said plates through which spikes may be driven to anchor said plates to a ground surface   an access path tear line being formed in said first and second floor sections each extending continuously from a point on said first and a second anchor lips respectively to a point at the uppermost edge of said first and second collars respectively, said access path tear lines for permitting said material forming said plates to be torn along a predetermined path from the periphery of each said plate to said uppermost edge of said collars forming an access path whereby said plates may be placed around a large existing plants, said invention further comprising first and second means for splicing said access path for said first and second plates respectively whereby a substantially water tight seal is formed and said plates may retain water as before tearing said access path tear lines;   said first and second splicing means are double layered splicer strips each having two upper arms and two lower arms generally parallel with said upper arms and separated from said upper arms by a bridge situated longitudinally along the length of said splicer strips, said bridge being of a height whereby said upper and lowers arms are separated from each other by a distance approximately equalling the thickness of said material which forms said plates adjacent to said tear line, first and second splicer channels being defined by said upper and lower arms in which splicer channels edges of said plates adjoining said access path are placed, said splicer channels having adhesive means therein for adhering said upper and lowers arms to said material of said plates to form a substantially water-tight seal at said access paths;   said sealing means comprises an adhesive strip affixed to the apex of said first interlocking ridge and having an adhesive surface oriented away from said apex.